Members of Parliament during a plenary session in 2022. In Rwanda, the fact that the legislation gave equal land rights to women and men, the parliament voted many laws in line with the protection of women’s rights after the Genocide against the Tutsi. Photo by Craish Bahizi.
Emmanuel Ntirenganya
Thursday, March 23, 2023
In 2019, Chantal Mukeshimana and her three sisters got a piece of land from their parents, something that was not possible over two decades ago because of legislation that denied women the rights to such property.
This Gakenke District resident is one of the many women who are enjoying their rights to property, as a result of related laws that were enacted after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Without such laws, the property rights would be a preserve of the three sons of Mukeshimana’s parents, while their four daughters, Mukeshimana inclusive, would be excluded.
“Our parents gave us a piece of land,” she told The New Times, appreciating the fact that the legislation gave equal land rights to women and men.